Republic of Murdoch
"Republic of Murdoch" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the eighty-sixth episode of the series. It first aired on November 25, 2013. Summary Detective Murdoch investigates the death of Peter Farrelly who had a loud altercation with someone the night before his body was found. Dr. Grace determines he was beaten to death, and also has chloral hydrate in his system - a bottle of which they discover in the victim's luggage. The solution to murder lies in finding an old pirate treasure map. Constable Crabtree gives chase to the suspect in the beginning scene, unfortunately letting the man slip as he whacks the constable over the head with a plank of wood. Meanwhile, Murdoch has discovered a strip of linen paper clutched in the victim's hand, presumably one of three pieces. Dr. Grace reveals to Murdoch that as well as being beaten, the victim suffered a bite. This leads Murdoch to hypothesise that there was a fight between victim and suspect. George then explains to Murdoch that he had a theory that both victim and murderer were from Newfoundland after Higgins drinks a bottle of rum they found in the victim's suitcase. When George caught up to the suspect, he spoke with a Newfoundland accent, and the rum was just proven to be from the same place. Another key factor was the testimony of a witness within earshot, who confirmed they were speaking with accents of some sort. Higgins then presents a bottle of chloral hydrate, which was found at the scene. Murdoch congratulates the two constables and sends George to talk to the night clerk, while entrusting Higgins in deciphering the series of letters found on the linen paper. Crabtree finds that a cab dropped a man called Ezekiel Farrelly at the hotel where Peter was murdered. Heading to the address Farrelly had, they find more chloral hydrate, and then hear Farrelly escaping. Unfortunately they arrive too late, and Ezekiel escapes once again. Dr Grace mentions to Murdoch that she did find rum in the victim's stomach and in the glasses in the room, as well as chloral hydrate in both glasses. They were apparently trying to drug each other. Back at the station, George helps Henry try to decipher the message, mentioning the fact that there could be numbers in the sequence as well as letters.The message ends up being; 'John Roberts 5th June 1720.' Crabtree returns to the station after finding information on John Roberts, and proceeds to tell Murdoch about a pirate called John Roberts, also known as Black Bart, and his trip to Newfoundland on June 5th, 1720. It was believed that he had hidden his treasure somewhere in the colony before his death. The belief that a map was left behind is added as a motive to murder to the growing list of answered questions. George believes that the paper fragment was a part of that map. The two then set off for Newfoundland after Jackson informs them that the suspect boarded a train to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, where the boats leave for Newfoundland. When Murdoch and Crabtree talk to the Newfoundland constabulary, they find out the man they thought was Ezekiel Farrelly was actually a local layabout known as Jacob Doyle. Afterwards, Murdoch and Crabtree visit Peter's widowed wife, Eunice Farrelly, in her antique shop. She confirms she feared the worst when her husband didn't send her a message from Toronto, and then tells them that Doyle had attempted to sell it to Peter who tried to buy it for ten times the amount it was worth. Doyle then thought twice about selling it. Crabtree recalls a story that his Aunt Azalea read to him, about a family of brothers named Farelly, and decides it's high time Murdoch met the women who raised him. Soon after they reach the house, where an older man is seen exiting from it which prompts Murdoch to begin realizing the profession of Crabtree's "aunts." Afterwards, Aunt Azalea comes out and greets them, and finds the book she used to read to Crabtree, remarking that it was a customer named Ben Farrelly who'd given it to her. There, the background to the Farrelly conflict is explained as three brothers who fought each other constantly. Their father created the linen map and split it into three pieces, hoping it'd force them to work together to find the treasure. However, after one of the brothers dies, the other two discover he had hidden his piece. Murdoch travels to the hangout of the West Bay Farrelly's and proceeds to try and ask them questions. They do not take this kindly however and start attacking the detective. Heavily outnumbered, Murdoch uses his intelligence to tactically move through the bigger, heavier crew. Suddenly, Jacob Doyle comes to his rescue, helping to beat off a few men. They afterwards escape together on Doyle's bike. Crabtree meets up with Murdoch and, after greeting him icily, tries to arrest Doyle, but Murdoch stops him, explaining that Doyle had saved him from a messy fight. Doyle explains that Farrelly sent a local robber to steal the map from him. Murdoch then tells Crabtree of a plan to lure Ezekiel Farrelly out of hiding without having to go through his family. Crabtree poses as an East Bay Farrelly in possession of a part of the linen map, seeking to sell it to Ezekiel Farrelly. The West Bay Farrelly's welcome him and begin to party, which includes lots of drinking and dancing. Crabtree becomes drunk and loses consciousness, and awakens with a dead fish wrapped in his jacket and the map is no longer in his pocket. The plan has worked. The three stake out at the location where Ezekiel Farrelly should be arriving, though at first mistaking another man for him. They manage to find him in the end, however their appearance startles Ezekiel, causing him to trip and fall over a cliff with the map in his grip. Murdoch grabs his hand and his other had has the map peices, but he tosses them down to the waters below and then lets Murdoch help him up. Jacob mourns the map's loss, staring into the distance across the sea. Character Revelations * Brackenreid worries about his son John being a "Nancy boy" after he played a woman's role in a play; with a little too much earnest in the Inspector's eyes. He visits the asylum to ask Dr. Ogden to talk with John. Afterward, she assures the Inspector that his son is just having fun acting. However, Brackenreid remains a skeptic. * John picks a fight with the biggest boy in his school for no other reason than to impress his father. During a father-son talk, John mentions that he might go out for rugby. Brackenreid reassures his son that all he and his mother care about is that John be true to himself. * George's aunts are actually prostitutes: calling themselves The Flower Girls of Flower Hill, their gentlemen callers would sometimes bring the flower of the girl he was calling on. Continuity * Like his father (ep.107 and 703), John Brackenreid enjoys acting and tells his father he's thinking of being in another play, Antony and Cleopatra, deciding on "Antony" because he has better lines. * George returns to Newfoundland where he spent his childhood from 3 years old to 16, when he returned to Toronto. * George introduces Murdoch to the women who raised him: Aunt Azalea, Aunt Daisy, Aunt Marigold, Aunt Iris, and Aunt Dahlia; Two other Aunts are only mentioned by name as they now lived in Toronto area: Aunt Petunia and Aunt Primrose. Historical References * References to Guglielmo Marconi wanting to set up a wireless telegram on Signal Hill. * When Higgins is attempting to figure out the letters on the piece of parchment, using a tile method that Murdoch came up with, Crabtree comments this would make a great game, called "Scramble," a reference to modern-day Scrabble. * When Brackenreid is talking to Julia Ogden about his son's play, he mentions that it was an Oscar Wilde play and his portrayed "Lady Bracknell," indicating the play "The Importance of Being Earnest," still a popular stage play today. * Was filmed in Newfoundland, which was a former colony and then a dominion of the United Kingdom. Newfoundland gave up its independence in 1933. It eventually became an official part of Canada in 1949. Trivia * George's aunts have been a running gag throughout the show * George does a great job of talking 'Newfie' with the other Newfoundlander's, since Jonny Harris is actually from Newfoundland, he comes by it naturally. * Reference to Republic of Doyle (2010) (TV Series) starring Allan Hawco as Jacob Doyle's grandson Jake Doyle. * This is the first of the two CBC crossover episodes between Murdoch Mysteries and Republic of Doyle. In this one, Jacob Doyle ( grandfather of Jake Doyle of RoD) appears on Murdoch Mysteries. In the second one, Bill Murdoch (grandson of William Murdoch) appears in an episode of RoD "If the Shoe Fits", which aired on January 29, 2014. Both episodes climax in the same location with the suspect dangling over a cliff edge, and subsequently dropping their treasure. At the end of RoD episode, Murdoch asks Doyle "Is it just me, or does it feel like we've done this before?" To which Doyle responds, "I don't know. Maybe in another life, bud." Cast Main Cast Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch Hélène Joy as Julia Ogden Thomas Craig as Thomas Brackenreid Jonny Harris as George Crabtree Georgina Reilly as Emily Grace Recurring Cast Lachlan Murdoch as Henry Higgins Charles Vandervaart as John Brackenreid Kristian Bruun as Slugger Jackson Guest Cast Allan Hawco as Jacob Doyle Dave Sullivan as Westbay Farrelly Jean Daigle as St. John's Policeman Tamara Bernier Evans as Aunt Azalea Karen Skidmore as Aunt Daisy Caroline Gillis as Aunt Marigold Darren Hynes as Clay Murphy Dana Puddicombe as Eunice Farrelly Andy Boorman as Night Clerk Jason Card as Guglielmo Marconi James Binkley as Ezekiel Farrelly Uncredited Cast Jesse Griffiths as Man Gallery 708 Republic of Murdoch Blackboard 1.PNG|Henry doing Blackboard work|link=Blackboard 708 Republic of Murdoch 6.PNG|Brackenreid talks to Dr. Ogden about his son John|link=Provincial Lunatic Asylum nfl6.jpg nfl4.jpg nfl1.png nfl2.png nfl5.jpg Category:Season Seven